Mayaro arsonist charged with eight counts of attempted murder

A MAYARO man who allegedly set fire to a home while eight members of the Bahadoor family, including a nine-month-old baby, were inside has been charged with eight counts of attempted murder.

Ramsaran Kowlessar was not called upon to plead when he appeared before Mayaro Magistrate Debbie Ann Bassaw on Thursday. He was also charged with arson.

Charges were laid by PC Farley.

Kowlessar, 61, of Mafeking Road, Mayaro, was denied bail and remanded into custody for tracing until next Tuesday.

Court Prosecutor Rudranath Ramdhan objected to bail on the grounds that Kowlessar threatened and attempted to harm himself while in custody and swore he would “finish what he wanted to do.”

Kowlessar was arrested after being pulled out of the burning building in Mayaro on Monday morning.

His niece and nephew, Amit Bahadoor, 33, and his sister Anisha, 34, suffered burns and were treated. Amit was discharged but Anisha is in hospital.

Anisha's two children, ages four and nine, her 28-year-old sister and her sister's baby were also in the house, along with Amit’s parents Sharon, 52, and Peter Bahadoor, 71, when the fire was started.

The family managed to get out of the house before it was engulfed in flames, but nothing else was saved.

A GoFundMe account has been started to raise money for the family

Anyone willing to donate to the family can do so via https://gofund.me/f66aa3d0 or via Amit Bahadoor’s (Mayaro Republic Bank) account no 470464365401.